Collecting Dust
by StrawHatCaptainLuffy-Sama
Summary: Just a collection of one-shots that I will write. Each is Luffy-centric, and they each are kind of deep. The crew might not be mentioned in some. Hope you like them, though. There will be a lot, and each will be written on the spur of the moment. No particular update times, though I will try to do at least one a week. (T because the darkness is calling for me...)
1. Deceit

Luffy laughed as Brook cried, enjoying the feeling of gaining a new friend. He was filled with what seemed like helium, like he could float away because of how light he felt. But one look at the still-sleeping Zoro, and his feelings became heavy and filled with regret.

He knew something big had happened while he was knocked out. He knew Zoro had done something crazy to save him.

And Zoro could've died.

His swordsman could've died.

Luffy absently hummed along to Bink's Sake. Although he was smiling and laughing, it didn't ease the leaden feeling in his chest.

That his first mate wasn't telling him something.

And by the way Sanji was casting knowing glances at the sleeping swordsman, Luffy knew Sanji knew what had happened.

But they didn't want him to know. They were hiding something from him, their captain. It hurt that they didn't trust him enough to tell him.

Maybe it was because he was too stupid in their eyes, that he wouldn't understand. Or maybe they thought he was too weak to handle it.

The thought hit him like one of Garp's 'Fists of Love'. They thought he was weak.

This was why he wanted to get stronger. So they could tell him everything without fearing that he was too weak to handle it.

It was why they didn't tell him about the flag at Heart Island. They thought he was too weak to help them save the flag.

He didn't notice the curious and worried stares Brook was giving him. He had fallen completely silent, and his face became dark and brooding.

"Luffy-san?" Brook called hesitantly. Luffy immediately snapped out of it and gave a bright smile.

"Yeah?" he said cheerfully, but continued. "Don't worry about me. Just thinking of something." He rolled onto his back, almost laughing at Brook's upside-down face.

"If you're sure." Brook continued playing and singing, laughing merrily as Luffy joined in the best he could.

But nobody saw that, when he was sure he wasn't being watched, Luffy's face fell into an expression of sadness, and he would stare at Zoro with a confused, hurt look on his face.

Nobody at all.

* * *

 _ **Just a little one-shot I wrote at 11:00 PM. I got bored, and I just started typing.**_

 _ **This is the first of many random one-shots to come. Not all of them will be depressing like this one, which is why I won't label this collection with a genre.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review on what you think about my little one-shot. It'll help me write more one-shots, and inspire me to write new chapters of my stories! *Wink wink***_

 _ **I will take suggestions, by the way! Just no romance suggestions, please! I will absolutely NOT write a lemon. Fluff I can do, but not that citrusy crap.**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	2. Pride

It stung.

Just like if he was stung by a herd of hornets.

They lied to him about the flag. And they would never tell him the truth.

It had been years since they last lost their flag, and everyone seemed to have forgotten it. Except the captain.

He would never forget the way they had lied so easily to him, saying he was silly for thinking they would ever lose the flag.

All because they were scared and disgusted at the thought of the rubber captain being disappointed in them.

It was stupid. They lied and betrayed him because of their pride.

They were too prideful for their own good. If he had lost the flag, he wouldn't lie and say it was there the whole time.

He would sincerely apologize for being careless and losing the flag, and he'd take any abuse without complaint.

His pride was worthless in the presence of his friends. Heck, he almost didn't even know what 'self-pride' meant. Though he would never hurt his friends' pride by insulting them on purpose, or becoming disappointed in their actions.

The mere thought of it was almost unbearable. He couldn't hurt his friends in any way, not physically, mentally, or psychologically.

The captain of the Thousand Sunny was too proud of his crew to ever damage them in any way. The only damage he would be doing was to himself or the enemy.

And right now, he'd give anything to have his crew trust him enough to not hate them or be disappointed in them.

He only wished they could understand how he felt.

A captain protected his crew, which also meant they didn't let them know what he was feeling. He had to keep quiet, otherwise he would just burden or hurt them more.

He couldn't take it on his own, though. His own crew was too arrogant and prideful, and seeing their new bounties didn't help much.

But he couldn't stop caring about them and worrying in his own way, because that was just the way he worked.

He could forgive them for this, because he knew they didn't mean any harm.

He could pretend to forget, for the sake of keeping his crew happy.

He could act like he didn't care anymore, because that way they wouldn't care either.

But he would never forget how their faces showed no guilt as they lied to him, how they had sighed in relief when he accepted their story, how they didn't care about what he put himself through just to get the flag back.

Monkey D. Luffy could forgive, but he could never really forget.

* * *

 _ **This is after the gap, but it's about the Heart Island incident where they lost the flag. I saw a one-shot or something similar to this, so I thought, why not?**_

 _ **Hope this was to your liking. Please tell me what you thought!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	3. Alone

He couldn't believe it.

After everything they had been through together, after they traveled the Grand Line together.

After all those times he risked his life for them.

After he had helped them face and conquer their pasts one by one.

They were leaving him.

They were leaving him all alone on Raftel, with only his hat and the One Piece to keep him company.

They were going to their homes, back to where they supposedly belonged.

He didn't have anywhere to go.

He couldn't go back to Foosha, because he no longer had anywhere to stay there.

He couldn't go to Gray Terminal. That place was long gone.

He couldn't become a revolutionary. Then he couldn't be the Pirate King.

He couldn't become a Marine, because of obvious reasons.

He had nowhere, and nobody near him.

He was alone again. And it hurt just like it had before. But the shadows were darker, more menacing, and they carried nightmares within their depths.

He would often find himself screaming himself awake, dreaming of his friends being picked off of one by one. He also had the occasional vision of Ace dying in his arms, and his last words haunted his mind.

 _'Thank you for loving me!'_ he had said.

He almost wished he could join Ace, wherever he had gone.

Because now he was alone.

And being alone was worse than death.

* * *

 _ **And here's another one. This is after Luffy became Pirate King, for curious readers.**_

 _ **This tugged at my heartstrings while I wrote it ;-;**_

 _ **Hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you thought!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	4. Betrayal

He watched them turn their backs, watched them leave him behind.

 _'We don't need to wait for a faliure,'_ they had said. He made no move to stop them as they walked away, slowly disappearing into the shadows.

"Why?" was the word he kept screaming into the darkness. "Why do they betray me like this?"

 _'Because you are weak,'_ a part of him whispered.

 _'You don't deserve them,'_ another murmured.

 _'Stupid...'_

 _'Waste of space...'_

 _'Devil's child...'_

 _'Weak...'_

He put his hands on his head and shook his head violently.

"Stop it stop it stop it stop it-" he said, over and over again. His crew was suddenly there, leering at him.

"You were stupid to think we actually cared about you," Nami snarled.

"Why would you ever think I would give up my bounty-hunting life to sail with a moron?" Zoro snorted.

"I deserve to be captain more than you," Usopp said coldly.

"All you did for me was take me away fromm my brothers," Franky growled.

"You made my suffering last longer than if I'd have just died," Robin said flatly.

"You took me away from one of the only people who care for me," Chopper stated emotionlessly.

"You broke me away from the only remnant of my crew," Brook said, his voice seeming harsh and unnatural.

"You made me leave the one person I considered to be a father," Sanji put in.

"Worthless..."

"Weak..."

"Not worth my time..."

One by one, his friends faded into black mist, choking him with the strength of their bitterness.

"N-no! I'm sorry!" he gasped, before he could see no more.

* * *

He jerked awake with a start, a scream ready to escape, but he clamped a hand over his mouth. He looked around at the sleeping faces of his crewmates, still and silent-

"SNO-O-ORK!"

Okay, maybe not so silent. He grinned when he watched Zoro shift sleepily, groping around in the dark until his dangling hand reached Chopper's head below him. Chopper murmured slightly, but didn't wake.

He was safe on the Sunny.

He was home.

All of his friends were alive and well. They wouldn't be leaving him anytime soon.

He slipped out of the covers, taking great care not to make any noise. He padded quietly to the door, then gave one last fond look at his friends. Then he left into the cold night, closing the door quietly behind him.

He tip-toed over to the women's quarters, then slowly peeked inside. Nami was sleeping in her bed, hugging her pillow, but Robin was zonked out on the desk, her face in a book. Luffy chuckled slightly, then stepped over to her.

She twitched slightly when he stepped on a creaky floorboard, but she was still asleep. Luffy carefully lifted her from her chair, stifling a laugh when he saw the words printed on her cheek. He laid her on the empty bed, covered her up to her chin, then silently slipped away. Robin smiled softly in her sleep, unconsciously snuggling deeper under the covers.

* * *

Luffy now sat on the figurehead, leaning on one of Sunny's spikes.

He thought about his dream, and the helpless, worthless feeling it gave him. He felt himself slowly sinking into depression, but he kept up his cheery facade for as long as he could.

But nobody could keep the tears at bay forever. And now, sitting alone on the deck, he finally let his emotioins run loose, where nobody could hear him, see him, or try to comfort him.

Where nobody was there to betray him.

* * *

 _ **Just something I thought Luffy would have nightmares about. This is one of his nightmares. It hurt me to write this, because I had to think of a negative result of each member joining Luffy's crew.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review to tell me your thoughts!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	5. Dark

It was cold and dark.

That was all he could say about it.

He had tried finding even a shred of warmth or light, but all he found was darkness and cold.

He tried to huddle up to keep warm, but the cold seeped in everywhere, even into his eyes. His fingers felt frozen solid, like they were ice and would shatter under just a little bit of pressure.

His body had long since become numb, but he could still feel the icy flames licking his skin.

And the darkness was everywhere. It was stifling and boring, and it scared him to all heck.

Because he was alone.

Alone in the dark and cold, just like he always feared, and his crew wasn't nearby to light the way and keep him warm.

He slowly looked up when he heard a noise in front of him. His eyes widened.

His hat was sitting there on a rock, waiting for him to be strong enough to accept it.

It stayed in mint condition through the harsh winters and blistering summers.

It was like his sun, brightening and warming the dark expanse, to where the blackness slowly turned to grey.

He could see shapes outlined darkly against the grey, but he paid no attention as he fumbled for his hat.

When he finally got the straw hat on his head, he dared to look around. The shapes were outlines of his friends, of his crew.

Zoro was standing at the edge of the line, his trademark smirk dancing on his face.

Nami was next, smiling slyly as she put a hand on her hip.

Usopp was grinning widely, holding his kabuto as if it was a powerful staff.

Sanji lit a cigarette, then started twirling his way towards Nami.

Chopper giggled, smiling at Luffy with big doe eyes.

Robin gave one of her mysterious smiles, one that made you want to know more about her, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

Franky posed and laughed.

Brook was chuckling and playing his violin.

Luffy stared and stared.

Though he couldn't hear them, he knew what they were saying.

 _'Come with us,'_ they whispered. _'We'll accomplish all our dreams, together.'_

Nami held out a hand, and Luffy happily took it. The last of the darkness faded to white, and he happily skipped alongside his friends, a bright smile on his face.

* * *

 _ **And another one is made! These just keep on coming, don't they?**_

 _ **...But this was cheesy ;-;**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	6. Stay

He stood on the cold wood floor, shivering. It was below freezing tonight, so it was no wonder he was cold. Though _why_ he was even up was a mystery. He glanced at everyone sleeping around him, then quietly slipped outside. The green grass on the deck felt hard and brittle underfoot, caked in frost.

He walked to the Thousand Sunny's loin head, then leaned on it and gazed out at the sky. The stars seemed to have been blended together, for they made captivating swirls in the sky, and the moon shone bright and full. The sea was as calm as it would ever be, only a few waves breaking the smooth expanse here and there. Luffy watched in silent contentment, only looking away when he heard a small creak behind him.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Sanji asked gruffly, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Luffy smiled a little, then looked back out at the sea.

"Couldn't sleep," he answered airily, waving a hand. Sanji grunted, then came and sat beside him.

"The sky's pretty tonight," he commented. "So's the sea." Luffy hummed in agreement, leaning back onto one of the Sunny's mane spikes.

"Have you ever wondered what was past the stars?" Luffy asked quietly after a moment of silence. Sanji glanced at him to show he was listening. "Well, there has to be something past the sky, right?" Luffy prompted. Sanji shrugged in response.

"I don't look at the sky often."

"I used to look at it all the time with Ace and Sabo, and we'd find all kinds of patterns," Luffy said, a grin forming on his face. He abruptly pointed to a cluster of stars. "That's the meat constellation." Sanji chuckled, taking a drag on his cigarette. He looked up, then immediately pointed to a different cluster.

"That looks like Nami-swan," he observed, imagining seeing her in the sky. Luffy snickered.

"Hey, did you know that Ace was the one that found our constellation?" he said abruptly. Sanji raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, while we were at Alabasta me and him looked at the stars, and he found our flag." Luffy searched the sky, then grinned and extended his finger. "Right there." Sanji stared at the group until he, too, could make out a straw-hat-wearing skull in the stars.

"I guess that must mean we're meant to make our names reach the heavens." Sanji smirked.

"But they already have! In Skypiea!" Luffy laughed. He looked happy enough, but when Sanji looked closer, he saw that Luffy was shaking slightly, and his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Something wrong?" Sanji asked. Luffy's smile faded, and he looked up to avoid Sanji's eyes.

"I always looked at the stars with Ace," he said quietly. "And now I realized that I'll never look at stars with him again." He looked at Sanji, and now his smile was sad and lonely. "I miss him."

"I bet you do," Sanji said, looking up at the sky. Then he stood, thinking that Luffy would need some time alone, then walked to the door to head inside. But suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist. He looked back. Luffy had stretched his arm and grabbed his wrist, and he was looking back with pleading eyes.

"Stay?" he whispered. "I don't want to be alone again." Sanji smiled softly, then came back to sit beside his captain once again.

"Of course," he murmured.

And the two sat there until dawn came, making up constellations and laughing together, just like Luffy had done with Ace.

* * *

 _ **This is NOT a SanLu one-shot. It's purely a friendship moment between them, and it was a suggestion from starelight.**_

 _ **Hope you liked it, starelight!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	7. Written

Zoro frustratedly threw the pen down, glaring at the smudge of ink on the paper.

"I give up!" he sighed, tossing paper and pen to Nami. She smugly took the paper, then glanced over what he had written.

"Are these hieroglyphics?" she teased. "Maybe I should get Robin to read them!" She tossed the paper into the sea, then grabbed a new paper off of the stack.

"Let's see here..." She tapped the pen on her chin, then brightened and started to write.

Two minutes later, she, too, was throwing the pen to the ground and tossing her work overboard.

"What seems to be the problem?" Usopp asked, walking over.

"We're trying to write about all our adventures so far, because, you know, one day we could sell it for a lot of beli!" Nami grinned greedily, and Usopp sighed and took the pen.

"You should let an artist do it! I happened to have published many works of literature and am a very famous author!" He began scribbling on the paper, then proudly presented it to the two first crew members.

"Are you kidding me? This is all about you!" Nami growled, flinging the paper over the edge.

"What's going on?" Chopper uncertainly approached the crew. "You writing something?"

"We're _trying_ to write about our adventures," Zoro said bitterly. "But we just can't get it right!"

"Could I try?" Chopper asked meekly. "Doctorine showed me how to write when I was little." Usopp reluctantly handed over the pen, and Chopper pinched it between his hooves and started writing. When he finished, he passed it to Nami. She looked it over, then sighed.

"I forgot. You guys weren't at Cocoyashi, and I wasn't at Zoro's initiation." She gave Zoro a helpless glance. "The only two that could write this are you and Luffy, but Luffy's such an idiot I don't think he even knows how to write."

"And marimo's writing is the worst," Sanji grunted, popping out of nowhere. "So what now? Do we just let the shithead write it his way?"

"No way!" Nami crossed her arms in an X. "I can't even read his handwriting!"

The crew continued to squabble, and soon Franky, Sanji, and Brook joined in on the argument. Robin watched with curiosity as insult after insult sliced the air, then the seven of them separated with angered huffs. Zoro went to the nest, Usopp to his workshop, Franky to the energy room, Sanji to the kitchen, Brook to the front of the deck to practice his violin, Chopper to his office, and Nami to the shade of her tangerine trees.

"Speaking of Luffy, where is he?" Robin mused, looking around. The rubber captain wasn't anywhere she could see, and that was saying something, considering her powers.

"Nami-san, do you know where Luffy is?" she called. Nami looked up.

"Yeah, he went to explore. I'm waiting for him to come back so we can leave," she replied. Robin nodded, satisfied, and turned to go read when a book laying on the floor caught her eye. She lifted it with a disembodied arm, then tossed it to herself and looked at the cover.

 _My Adventures_ it said, in bright, bold golden lettering. She curiously flipped it open, then stared. On the inside, it read, _A book of my adventures out on sea with the best crew in the world! By Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates_. She blinked, then read it again.

"Nami-san...?"

"What is it now?" Nami asked, not unkindly. Robin wordlessly strode over, then handed Nami the book. The navigator gave Robin a quizzical look, but opened it up anyways. Her eyes widened.

"No way! Luffy actually wrote something?" she gasped. "Go get everyone! I think they'd want to see this!" Robin nodded and crossed her arms, and minutes later, everyone was gathered on the deck in a semi-circle around the book.

"What are we doing again?" Usopp asked, twiddling the pen in his fingers.

"Robin found this on the deck. Luffy apparently wrote it," Nami explained. "I thought you guys would want to read it with us."

"Oh, we do," Sanji said immediately. "Let's see just how bad he really is at writing."

"I'm actually surprised he could write this much," Zoro commented, lifting the book and thumbing through the pages. "Almost every page is completely covered in words." He put it back down.

"When did he find the time to even write this much?" Chopper asked curiously. Nobody answered, but they did cast confused glances to each other. Where _did_ he find the time to write at all? He was always fighting, bouncing around everywhere, sleeping, or eating.

"Are we going to open it or are we going to stare at it like idiots?" Franky said abruptly. He reached out and flipped it open. The phrase Robin had read blared up at them, as if defying God itself. But then Franky snorted and turned the page again. He picked the book up, and everyone gathered around so they could see.

* * *

Luffy bounced back, in a cheery mood because someone working at a restaurant recognized him as the man that saved Cocoyashi. His sister lived in Cocoyashi, and Lufy had apparently saved her life. So he had given Luffy all the meat he had asked for, and even gave him some to take back with him.

"Heey! Look what I got!" Luffy called up the deck. Nobody answered him, and he frowned. Were they ignoring him? Were they mad at him? He tried to remember a reason for them to be mad, but thought of nothing. So he rocketed himself up, and found his crew gathered around Franky, oblivious to the outside world. Only when he saw what they were doing did he freak.

"HEY! THAT'S MINE!" he shrieked, snatching the book out of Franky's lap and hugging it protectively.

"Wait, wait! You really did write that?" Nami asked, still not fully believing it. Luffy's face grew slightly pink as he answered.

"Yeah. What's it to you?" he said hotly. Nami exchanged a glance with Zoro.

"Well... we thought you didn't know how to write," Nami admitted. Luffy glared at all of them.

"I'm not that stupid. Sabo taught me when I was little," he said sullenly.

"Sabo?" A few of them looked puzzled.

"My other older brother," Luffy elaborated. "He taught me how to read and write, and after he died... well, I kept on working on it."

"Wait, wait, wait, WAIT!" Franky waved his hands in denial. "You have another dead bro?" Luffy's face hardened, and he tightened his grip on the book.

"Yes," he said tightly. "I do. Now, can you tell me WHAT you were doing with my book?" he said accusingly. Robin raised her hand.

"That would be my fault, Luffy-san," she said softly. "I found it on the ground and showed it to the others." Luffy visibly relaxed.

"Okay, but how far did you get in to it?" He glanced at the book, as if it would suddenly grow wings and tap dance.

"Only three pages," Nami sulked. "I don't get it. Why don't you let us read it?"

"Because I can't!" Luffy said harshly, startling her into silence.

"When did you find the time to make it?" Chopper asked.

"When I was in the infirmary after a battle, or when I couldn't sleep at night," Luffy replied flatly. "Look, could we just drop it?"

"No way! I want to sell that book!" Nami made to grab it, but a stony glare from Luffy made her freeze.

"Nobody is selling anything," he said coldly. "Now just drop it." He stomped away, book in hand, leaving the crew behind.

"That could've gone better," Sanji said sarcastically. "Now we'll never be able to read it."

"Unless we steal it," Zoro suggested. Nami perked up. This was her kind of talk!

"I could steal it. Tonight," Usopp offered eagerly.

"And them tonight, I may be able to see Nami-san's panties!" Brook laughed. Nami kicked his face, knocking him to the ground.

"Like hell I'd let you!" she snarled. Dusting off her skirt, she smiled pleasantly.

"Now, where were we?"

* * *

That night, Nami waited until Zoro had given the signal that Luffy was asleep. At the wave of a hand, the ship was suddenly in motion. Bodies flew up from their beds and silently made their way to the deck, waiting for Usopp to come with the book.

"Got it," Usopp whispered, slipping out into the night air. Franky used a new kind of feature to cast some light from... let's just say he made some light, okay?

"Let's read." Nami opened to page three, where they had left off. Luffy was telling about his fight against Alvida, and how he brought a future Marine with him to the Marine base, where Coby would become a Marine captain.

"Coby? That Marine kid?" Usopp asked. "He did have a pair of glasses on his head..."

"From the way Luffy describes him, he's changed a lot," Chopper observed.

"Hey, look! He's talking about Zoro-san!" Brook said excitably.

* * *

Luffy stirred slightly in his sleep. Something wasn't right. He slowly woke up, then automatically reached below his bed.

It wasn't there. His book was gone.

He bolted upright, slapping his hat on his head, and darted outside. Just like before, everyone was gathered around the largest member of the crew. And they were reading something.

"Hey!" he shouted, stomping forward. Franky was quick to hide the book in his cola storage place in his stomach.

"Give me back my book." Luffy ordered, holding out a hand. "Now."

"What are you talking about?" Usopp said innocently.

"Don't pretend you think I don't know!" Luffy burst out. "Give me it! Now!" Franky wordlessly opened his stomach, took out the book, and handed it over. Luffy snatched it away, pulled a pen out of nowhere, and stomped to the figurehead and began writing furiously.

"...Do you think that was a bad idea?" Brook whispered. "Luffy-san almost blew a gasket."

"We'll try again tomorrow," Nami decided. "Usopp, be prepared."

* * *

The next night, they made sure Brook played something magical, something that would keep Luffy asleep for a long time.

"I reeeaally hope he won't wake up," Usopp said nervously, handing the book to Franky.

"Where did we leave off? When Zoro told Luffy to get lost?"

* * *

The next morning, Luffy was met with stony silence and stillness. He slowly got out of bed, made sure his book was safe, then walked to the kitchen. Everyone was already awake, sipping on drinks and nibbling on their food. They were talking softly, but when Luffy entered, it became dead quiet.

"...What's going on?" Luffy asked suspiciously.

"Luffy, why didn't you tell us?" Nami asked, her voice lined with hurt. Luffy blinked.

"What?"

"We read your book last night," Chopper confessed. "...Why did you never tell us that Ace died on your birthday?" Luffy stiffened, eyes widening.

"Why did you never tell us about Sabo?" Usopp asked.

"Why didn't you tell us about what happened with Baron?" Nami asked, looking at her plate.

"Why didn't you tell us about Gray Terminal?" Sanji questioned.

"Why didn't you tell us about Impel Down?" Zoro looked impassive, but his eyes shone with hurt.

"Why didn't you tell us about Ace-san's death?" Brook said softly.

"Why did you never tell us about how you became Ace-san's brother?" Robin asked quietly.

"Why didn't you tell us about how you felt?" Franky muttered. "So not super..."

Luffy was staring at the floor, eyes shadowed by his hat. His hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white, and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Why?" His voice was broken, bitter. "Why? Because I'm the captain."

"We don't understand." Nami's eyes were pleading.

"I'm the captain," Luffy repeated solemnly. "I don't burden my crew with my own problems." He turned away, mouth dripping blood from where his teeth had broken the skin, and walked out, leaving the crew in dead, sorrowful silence.

"...That could've gone better," Zoro grunted.

* * *

For the next two weeks, Luffy avoided them like the plague, walking in the opposite direction every time one of them approached him. Every time, they would sadly watch him leave, their hurt growing like cancer.

"I don't know what we can do!" Nami burst out at breakfast one morning. Nobody was surprised; Instead, they just curiously stared at her. "We need him to open up, maybe trust us again!"

"We know," Franky said quietly. "We just don't know how."

"Maybe apologize for reading his book when he didn't want us to?" Usopp suggested.

"That would be a good start," Robin agreed. Everyone murmured their consent, then they unanimously stood up without words.

"But, he'll just walk away," Chopper reminded them.

"We won't let him," Robin said flatly.

* * *

As usual, when Luffy saw them approaching, he turned on his heel and started away. But Robin crossed her arms, and disembodied arms sprouted from the floor and latched on to his legs. He tried to kick them away, but more only appeared and held him in place until the crew surrounded him. He glared at each and every one of them, and they steadily met his eyes.

"What do you want?" he ground out angrily, pointedly glaring at Robin to let her know he didn't appreciate how she was forcing him to stay and listen to them.

"We wanted to apologize," Robin said coolly. Luffy glanced around the circle of pirates. Each of them were staring at him, begging him to understand. He snorted.

"Apologize for what? Not listening to me? Betraying me?" he said coldly. Behind him, Chopper flinched, but he didn't notice.

"Actually, yes." Nami crossed her arms and stepped forward. "We want to say sorry for betraying you. Now man up and accept it!" Luffy crossed his arms as well and challengingly met her eyes.

"Fine," he said simply, "if you don't ask any more questions."

"Fine." Nami looked around at the circle. They all nodded reluctantly or quietly voiced their agreement. Luffy nodded curtly. Robin finally released his ankles, and he brushed past them to sit on the Sunny's head. The crew watched him go, slightly relieved and upset at the same time.

"Well, at least he accepted," Zoro grunted.

* * *

Over the next few days, Luffy had seemed to forget he was mad at them at times, as he would stop to chat with Usopp, bug Sanji about food, or play pranks on Zoro while he was training. But often, either in the middle of a conversation, mid-pout, or halfway through setting up a prank, he would stop, frown as if concentrating, then leave abruptly without another word.

"Luffy?" Chopper called one day. Luffy turned to face him with a bright grin.

"Yeah?"

"Are you still mad about... you know...?" Chopper asked nervously, twiddling his hooves. Luffy paused, looked up at the sky for a second, then brought his hand to rest on Chopper's head.

"Not anymore. But sometimes, I just feel... I don't know. I feel weird talking to you guys. Like, there's something I need to say, but I don't know what," Luffy said honestly. Chopper blinked, surprised at Luffy's truthful answer.

"Are you sure you're not sick?" Chopper asked, not really expecting a yes. Luffy shook his head.

"No, this is just... different," he said absently, looking out at the sea. He suddenly frowned again, and his eyes grew distant, then he turned and walked to the Sunny's head and sat down. Chopper felt a million pounds lighter. Everyone had thought Luffy was still upset at them, but he actually wasn't! Chopper dashed to tell the others, a smile on his furry face.

* * *

"HEY!" Everyone jumped at Luffy's sudden outburst. He was staring at the crew as if they were suns that had landed on his ship right before his eyes. "I just remembered!"

"What?" They looked at each other, confused.

"What I wanted to tell you!" Luffy said, bubbling with excitement. "I was going to tell you why I wrote the book!" Everyone was immediately interested, leaning forward in anticipation.

"I wrote it because Sabo told me that when I'm the Pirate King, then I should have something for everyone to remember me by and know how I became king!" Luffy said brightly, grinning widely. "That's why he taught me how to read and write!"

"Sabo is... your other brother, right?" Chopper said cautiously, not wanting Luffy to become depressed at the mention of his brother's name. But Luffy just nodded happily.

"Yep! He's the smart one!" he chirped.

"Well, he certainly taught you well," Robin commented. "Your writing was far superior to our own." Usopp started coughing, though one could suspiciously hear 'Zoro' in between the coughs.

"Yeah, I had to work on it a lot after Sabo... left," Luffy said awkwardly. "I actually started writing after I met Zoro, because he was my first friend to join my crew! And that was the start of my journey to become king!"

Everyone looked at their captain fondly. Even after they had betrayed him and stolen his book, just because of simple curiosity, he was still as sunny as ever.

And they made sure to follow his directions strictly for a week afterwards, just in case Luffy had any lingering doubt that they still weren't trustworthy.

* * *

 _ **Lame ending! Yay! *Couldn't think of a good way to end it anyways***_

 _ **But yes, since I couldn't find the date of Ace's execution, I decided to make it even more depressing and making it on Luffy's birthday! Boo on me!**_

 _ **Hope you liked it, artsyari! I made this for you~!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	8. Remember

_**DON'T READ THIS NONONONONONONO! IT MAKES ME SEEM CREEPY AND STRANGE! AHH, WHY DID I POST THIS?!**_

 _ **Oh, right. Because I can.**_

* * *

Luffy could only stand, frozen, as the man cut down his crew, one by one. He cut their throats in one smooth movement, then moved on to the next, until the blade was painted red and the ground was drowned in blood. Eight bodies lay motionless on the ground, blood gushing from their torn throats and dripping from their mouths. Luffy watched, horrified and entranced, but couldn't do a thing to stop him. Finally, he was released, and he fell to his knees.

"Zoro..."

He could remember Zoro's tough-guy personality, going to train against the doctor's orders, refusing to cry unless pushed over the edge. He could remember Zoro's strong bond with his swords, and how Zoro could get lost walking in a straight line. He could remember Zoro's stubbornness the first time they met, and how eventually Zoro agreed to be the first part of his little band of oddballs.

"Nami..."

He could remember Nami's sly smile, how she wouldn't let him eat her tangerines because of their special value. He remembered the debt he owed her; 20,000 belis. He could remember how she had hated him at first, but then he grew on her and his name was the first she would call out after a battle. He could remember the skill she used to predict the weather and wield her ClimaTact with expert ease.

"Usopp..."

He could remember Usopp's unbelievable lies, tales from the top of his head and spun off on a whim. He could remember how Usopp had proudly showed off his sniping skills after they regrouped at Saobady. He could remember Usopp's fear when they first spoke, and how Usopp was willing to die to protect the village that he was born, raised, and hated in.

"Sanji..."

He could remember Sanji's funny love-obsessed remarks to the girls, how he would twirl around them like a lovesick puppy. He could especially remember the taste of every single dish Sanji had prepared that morning. He could remember how Sanji had refused Luffy's offer to become a pirate, then followed anyways after a brutal release from Baratie. He could remember the smell of Sanji's cigarette, which infected every room.

"Chopper..."

He could remember Chopper's face when Luffy had once suggested they eat him. He could remember the care that Chopper used when treating his wounds. He could remember Chopper's half-refusal, then estatic getaway from Doctorine's ice castle. He could remember Chopper's fear of him when Chopper found out how much Luffy liked meat, and that Sanji knew exactly how to cook reindeer.

"Robin..."

He could remember Robin's mysterious smile, one that made him curious to know more. He could remember Robin's soft laugh when he does something amusing. He could remember Robin's cry of 'I want to live!' when he rescued her from the World Government. He could remember the sakura petals that always seemed to follow Robin around. He could remember the books, especially, when they appeared wherever there was room in the ship.

"Franky..."

He could remember Franky's smug smirk, one that said he knew everything there was to know so there was no use trying to argue. He remembered Franky's bright blue hair that exploded in an afro when you held his nose for a while. He remembered Franky's tearful goodbye to his brothers, and how they had managed to 'convince' him to come along. He remembered Franky's silly pose that always made the cyborg look like a freak.

"Brook..."

He remembered Brook's funny laugh, and the dark afro that seemed to stay on by magic. He remembered Brook's soft playing when it was dark and cool out, and the light, joyful playing when it was bright and warm. He could remember Brook's watery 'thank you!' when he offered Brook a place on his crew. He remembered Brook's gentle nature, and his promise to Laboon.

"Everyone..." His eyes became blurry with tears, and he hunched over, gripping his hair in his hands.

"Everyone..." he repeated. "My friends..."

"Looks like time's up, Straw Hat." Luffy didn't bother looking up. He already knew there was a knife on the back of his neck. He could feel the cool metal against his skin.

"Do it," he said coldly, and the blade was removed quickly. "I said do it!" he screamed.

"I'd rather have you live with this, knowing you couldn't save any of them," the bloodied man said, grinning sadistically. Luffy didn't answer, and made no sound as the man walked away, dropping the knife to the ground a few yards away. Luffy peered up and watched him go, then dragged his way across the ground to grab the blade. It was stained with all of his crews' blood, so he had to add his own blood to the mix.

* * *

 _ **Dun dun duuuun...**_

 _ **Depression time! 0-0**_

 _ **But really, this actually made me cry just by writing it O.o**_

 _ **I feel creepy... like a sadist or a satanist for writing this...**_

 _ **Someone save me from the darkness... it's coming... OH GOD, THERE IT IS! *Runs***_

 _ **Please review and leave your opinion on my creepy writing!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	9. Flaws

Zoro wasn't as arrogant as everyone seemed to think. He was just bold in his own way.

Nami wasn't as cruel as she seemed. She was just affectionate in a special way.

Usopp wasn't as much of a liar as he looked. He just told the truth in a questionable way.

Sanji wasn't as much of a pervert as he made himself seem. He just respected people in a biased way.

Chopper wasn't as much of a weakling as he made out to be. He was just powerful in a hidden way.

Robin wasn't as cold as she looked. She was just warm in a guarded way.

Franky wasn't as emotionless as was rumored. He was just human in a robotic way.

Brook wasn't as rude as he showed. He was just polite in his own weird way.

And nobody looked deep enough to understand that their flaws were just small imperfections, ones that could be polished into something much, much more. Nobody accepted their flaws, embraced them as a part of who they were.

Nobody except Luffy.

So to him, they owed their very existence. He had saved most from literal certain death, and all from dying inside. Without the idiot they called a captain, every one of them would most likely have lived their lives to less than half the life they could've had. Without him, they wouldn't have understood what having 'nakama' really meant. Without him, they would be dead inside.

Without him, they wouldn't have a family.

So, as one, they agreed to give up their lives at a moment's notice to save their one and only captain.

It was a promise that they would never break, one they would never tell anybody about.

And if, during a fight between the Straw Hat pirates and any other organization, you would happen to catch the secret looks the crew shared behind the captain's back, you would know what they meant.

* * *

 _ **Bit of a random one-shot there. I just thought, hey, why not make one like this?**_

 _ **It technically is Luffy-centric, since it's about him saving them all...**_

 _ **And with Franky, I said that because he's a cyborg, and... you remember Kuma? Yeah. That's what I'm thinking. Cyborg=Emotionless robot.**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	10. Drown

He was drowning, and he knew it. All his struggles were useless. His Devil Fruit dragged him deeper and deeper in, and he couldn't so much as lift a finger. He opened his mouth to call out, but his mouth was just filled, and all that came out was bubbles.

 _This is it,_ he thought. _This is where I'm going to die._

But, surprisingly, he wasn't afraid, nor was he upset. Instead, he gave a small, peaceful smile. This was it. He was giving up for the first time in his young life.

 _My only regret is that I didn't see them accomplish their dreams._ He closed his eyes, and the darkness seeped into him.

 _"I already told you, if I can't complete my ambition, I'll gut you myself!"_

He cracked open an eye.

 _Zoro...?_

The swordsman was glaring at him with his one open eye, then scoffed and turned away.

 _"What good is a crew without the captain?"_

 _Nami?_

Now his eyes were fully open. The navigator was staring at him with exasperation, but then she looked away.

 _"Don't start something if you can't end it."_

 _Sanji..._

The cook was staring at him in disappointment, then blew out a cloud of smoke, hiding his face.

 _"I wish I could lie to you now... but you're failing at your job right now."_

 _Usopp._

The sniper stood, arms crossed, and refused to look at him, face set in a frown.

 _"I can't heal your mental wounds... but you can. But only if you want to heal."_

 _Chopper._

The reindeer was looking at him with sadness, then he turned away as if he couldn't bear to look him in the eye.

 _"I didn't follow so you could leave me behind."_

 _Robin._

The archaeologist seemed to not notice she had spoken aloud, because she kept her eyes trained on the book in her hand.

 _"I'm just the super shipwright... but even I can tell when you've just dropped all our dreams in the mud."_

 _Franky._

The 'super' shipwright sniffed, staring up at the sky while avoiding his eyes.

 _"How are you going to keep your promise to Laboon now? Yohohoho..."_

 _Brook._

The musician just played a single note softly on his violin, his sightless sockets aimed below him.

He looked around at the faces of his friends- no, his family. They wouldn't meet his eyes, and he understood why.

He had given up on himself. And if he gave up on himself, he gave up on them.

It was a major disappointment, to have your captain not have faith in you.

In a sudden burst of determination, he surged upwards, out of the water, and their eyes lit up considerably. He raised his arms up, grasping for the edge of the depression he had fallen in. But he couldn't quite reach, and he slipped and fell back. The black water swished in glee, reaching up to pull in it's victim.

But before he could hit the water, a hand grasped his wrist, then another, and a few more. He opened his eyes, looking down at the water that crashed more ferociously beneath him, then he looked up.

They were all there, holding him up, pulling him over the edge. He fell to the ground, sighing in relief. The ground was white, though it felt like feathery grass under him. He stared at his familys' faces, grinning widely.

"Stupid. As if we'd let you bail out on us like that," Zoro snorted, crossing his arms. Luffy didn't answer, though he smiled even brighter. Zoro's face twitched, though he refrained from smiling back.

"Honestly! You'd think you didn't expect us to save you!" Nami huffed. There were a few more agreements, though some were just small murmurs.

"I... I didn't know if you'd be able to find me," Luffy confessed, sitting up and hugging his knees. He missed the glances his family sent to each other.

"You thought we wouldn't notice that you had just disappeared like that?" Usopp said flatly. Luffy hesitated at the tone, but nodded.

"We would never forget about you! Idiot!" Sanji smacked Luffy upside the head, though it wasn't very effective. Luffy smiled apologetically.

"I know," he said simply, "but I thought you guys didn't care anymore." There were a few shocked gasps, but Luffy just kept that same smile on his face.

 _It was then they realized just how broken Luffy really was. He hadn't recovered from Ace's death at all- far from it. He just became worse over time, losing faith in himself and his friends. And now it was probably too late to fix him._

* * *

 ** _End! That was harder than I thought... .-._**

 ** _Lame ending, yes, but at least I tried._**

 ** _Until next time~!_**

 ** _~Captain Luffy_**


	11. Fear

The one thing Zoro feared was that he wouldn't be strong enough to protect his family.

The one thing Nami feared was not having enough money to get anything for her family.

The one thing Usopp feared was not having his family believe him when he needed them to.

The one thing Sanji feared was not being able to make enough food for his family.

The one thing Chopper feared was that one day there would be an injury he couldn't heal.

The one thing Robin feared was her family betraying her when she needed them.

The one thing Franky feared was losing himself to his cyborg side and becoming an emotionless tool.

The one thing Brook feared was not being able to keep his promise to Laboon.

And Luffy... Luffy feared a lot of things. He feared everything his family feared, and he was afraid that they would die and leave him behind like Ace had. He was terrified at the thought of being alone again.

None of them ever spoke of their fears, but Luffy knew them and understood just what they needed.

Zoro needed space so he could get stronger at his own pace.

Nami needed cooperation so she could gain the money she believed bought happiness.

Usopp needed trust so he could learn to tell the truth.

Sanji needed to hear praise to know they still needed him.

Chopper needed reassurance to know he was an amazing doctor.

Robin needed constant attention to know they hadn't left her.

Franky needed to laugh so he knew he was still human.

Brook needed constant company so he would know he wasn't alone in his promise to see Laboon.

And Luffy did his best to provide them with what they needed. And, without knowing it, his crew gave just as much back to him, just by being there and alive.

* * *

 _ **There we go! Another one-shot! It's technically Luffy-centric...**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed this!**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **~Captain Luffy**_


	12. APOLOGY AND ANNOUNCEMENT

_**Hello all. I know it's been a while, huh? Before you rage at me, throw things, or plot my ultimately painful demise, let me explain.**_

 _ **I've had cancer for a while now, and my family's tight on money. So we had to sell my computer to try and get my cancer treated. I haven't had a chance to touch an electronic device (minus painful medical equipment) in months, let alone been able to log into Fanfiction and type for my stories.**_

 _ **Ultimately? Treatment worked. I'm now scot-free, with just a few scars and no hair. I've been thinking about working on these stories again, but I'm not too sure about that. My writing has definitely improved after all these months of inactivity, so if anybody wants me to restart my stories, drop a review and tell me. Maybe one day I'll suddenly get the inspiration to continue writing these awful things, maybe even go back and fix them up a bit.**_

 _ **All of these were started on the whim of a stupid, oblivious fourteen-year-old girl that wrote thinking she was better than everyone else in the world. Now, I know better. I'm not the best, and I'm not the worst, but I can sure as Hell try.**_

 _ **I hope that all of you will forgive me for my extended absence. I know there was no warning and I just dropped off of the face of the earth, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I'll try to be as active on here as before, but I can't make any promises. Especially now that I'm not so sure if I'm in the One Piece fandom as deeply as I was before.**_

 _ **Farewell for now, and I hope that I will see all of you again someday.**_


End file.
